"Journal"

The Kitchen of Meaning

      The Kitchen of Meaning, by Roland Barthes speaks about the Semiotic Challenge. He states that objects can be more than just objects. Actually, they can elude you to a brighter image or thought. He questions second messages in writings and signs in the world. Barthes believes people need to look, observe, know the other suggestions and make an output of their own. Signs and objects in the world can have a literal meaning but if you take a different approach of how you look at it, then maybe it can mean something else. There a lot of answers to each but none are actually right or wrong; there are unique opinions from different indivisuals point of views.
      I agree with Barthes thoughts completely. People need to start thinking critically, looking for other answers. If you have your own thought of the subject, there is no right answer. The direct language and text hinders us from looking outside the box. They tell us what it is, or what is used for but nothing else. This act halts our mind to explore different views on the subject. For example, the color red can be someones favorite color, someones thought of blood, death, chaos, etc. There are endless suggestions to what people can say about the color red;however, anyway you perceive it counts towards the numerous answers already out there. Instead of finding one answer, find another alternative, or see what other people think about it and compare it to yours. He states, "If the tasks of semiology are constantly enlarging...signification becomes the mode of thought of the modern world, rather as "fact" previously constituted the unit of reflection of positivist science." This statement is correct because without thinking critically people will have the same views and ideas about most things. We will face no challenges, and life will be plain and simple with no differences in our knowledge.


Frederick Douglass Learning to Read and Write

      Everytime I read Frederick Douglass' story I get a sense of power and thankfulness. Power because we have the oppurtunity to live and explore different learnings of the world with no restrictions and thankfulness for all the people that have made a change in this world. Douglass has a very smart and courageous character. He did everything he possibly could; risky and dangerous actions to learn how to read and write the language. He broke rules to fulfil his dreams of learning and becoming free. Today we have the advantage of studying anywhere and anything if we put our minds to it. Douglass had to risk his life to learn how to read and write. Young adults do not know the advantage and the amount of priveleges we have by having schools and other learning centers around us."Without Struggle There is No Progress."  by Frederick Douglass

 Casa: A Partial Remembrance of Puerto Rican Childhood by Judith Ortiz Cofer


      My family, the women, usually share stories among each other when they get together also. I can relate to Judith because I experience the same actions of overhearing the stories and topics the women disputed about. Spanish cultures usually stay connected and converse about many different things. From childhood stories, marriage advice, and family catastrophes that happened during the years. You can learn from hearing their stories and experiences. Real life lessons can be picked up at these sessions that can come up later in life.

Mother Tongue by Amy Tan

     I can relate to Tan in her story because my first languange was not English either. My first language was spanish, then I learned to speak English. My mother doesn't speak English at all so I always have to translate for her. From parent teacher conferences, billing papers, and things that come in the mail; I have always translated for her. I sometimes, well most of the time, say words in English when my whole sentence is in Spanish and vice versa. When I'm having a conversation with my mother I tend to say things and English and have to pause and think to say it in spanish. Sometimes I even make up words mixing English with some Spanish. Knowing both languages can be tricky but makes you feel a sense comfortism speaking it in your own unique style.

A Woman's Beauty: Put-Down or Power Source by Susan Sontag

     For the women, it becomes hard and their duty to keep their image a certain way. They have to worry about their form, face, body and other things that make her who she is. I like when Sontag mentions that the woman can be a very successful in life but still faces the challenge of staying attractive. I like this statement because is true. Women always care about how they look and will always add something to their attire or style, to make them look a lil bit better. There are women that care was on the inside instead of whats on the outside but some women can't step a foot outside their house without caring how they look. Where as for the men, they can go outside in any shirt or shorts and not care what they look like. People can have the looks but not the complete package. They can be cute and have an ugly personality or they can be not so good looking but their personality is great, which makes them look better in one's eyes. People have to make sure they have a good personality to overlook their appearance in order to not be judge the wrong way.